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Hi Guys

I pretty sure my truck is matching numbers but I want to be positive. With all the grease and no manual I haven't been able to locate the Vin # on the engine. I bet you guys know where to look

Well... I have a 50% chance here .... I believe casting numbers are on the left
side of the block.
John

Thanks for the information John. I will take a look as soon as I get all the sludge off the block.

Hobcobble wrote:Well... I have a 50% chance here .... I believe casting numbers are on the left
side of the block.
John

Since left can be either side depending on how you look at it, I think you improved your chances.

Collin


There is an very easy LA Engine ID for "curb side spotter's". From the driver's side of the engine, look at the Harmonic Balancer. If the unit appears as wide as the lenght from your first finger tip to the first nuckle joint, it is an 318 ( or a 273 or 340 ).

If the Balancer is appars as wide as the first joint on your finger to the second joint, then think LA 360.

Numbers matching is not you are looking for if you are going to have a "Pebbles Beach Truck" since this was not recorded in this manner. The Year and the engine size to match the VIN is the thing.

Items to show that something has happened is exhaust manifolds are the 1975 design, or the 1990 "Magnum" design; the engine colour; the valve cover's ( have the 1975 and newer smog holding bracket on the passenger side ); have a 4 bbl carb on the engine and several other items.

The number/numbers that you are seeking is on the passenger side of the engine behind the exhaust manifold.

Rodger & Gabby
COS

soopernaut wrote:

Hobcobble wrote:Well... I have a 50% chance here .... I believe casting numbers are on the left
side of the block.
John

Since left can be either side depending on how you look at it, I think you improved your chances.

Well.... I blew it It sounds as though the casting numbers are on the right side...... meaning
"passenger" side.
John

Interesting, I did find numbers on both side of the block. The number on the drivers side does indicate that is xxxxx - 318 - 4

So I my assumption is that its a 318. However neither number left or right matches the Vin #as you indicated Rodger. The manifolds don't appear to have any brackets that I could see today.

I'm still not sure if this is the trucks original engine. I know the title was lost as it sat in a field for years then a new one issued. The previous owner stated it was 87k original miles which I don't believe :)

The date the engine was built is also on the side of the block. That will tell you what year it is. If your truck is a '68 then the engine would be either a '67 or '68 depending on when it went down the line. Same thing for cars too.

Collin

The engine casting numbers was just answered for you in the last post from Tenn.

You may also "hook-up" with your local MoPar Club in your area. As stated, the car info is the same on most of the trucks.

Rodger & Gabby
COS

Is the actual VIN on the engine or do you just have to go by the date and casting numbers?

Here is the location of the engine serial #. This pic is from the 65-67 Dodge truck shop manual. The serial # is just under the head on right side of the picture.

soopernaut wrote:Is the actual VIN on the engine or do you just have to go by the date and casting numbers?

Yes, the last part of the vin is cast on the blocks. Not the whole vin, just the last few numbers.

Hola There

I am totally confused now. All this time I have been told the number stamped in the block on the right side of the photo was coding to show the year date of mfg and the engine's size. For the number cast in the block while making the block was the casting code relating to the mfg's engine block size and etc. That every engine made during that "run" had the same numbers.

Thank You for correcting.

Rodger & Gabby
COS

Actually the VIN isn't cast on the block anywhere. When the engine was cast they had no idea what it was going to be put into. The 68 and newer engines had the last 8 digits of the VIN stamped on the lower rail on the passenger side. I have never tried to locate this number so I might have to look for one. The numbers cast on the passenger side will have the date, time and shift the block was cast. On the driver's side was the casting number, engine displacement and casting revision number. There were about 6 casting numbers used for the LA 318 through around 1975. On most LA blocks there will also be a number stamped on the front of the block right below the driver's side head. This will have information such as displacement, plant, assembly date, sequence number and possibly special information about the engine. There may also be special symbols or numbers stamped on other parts of the engine.